Grateful to have this space to connect with God and my fellow brothers and sisters in-Christ, through this “Bible in a year,” discussion page. I sometimes don’t feel as alone, confused, and sometimes lost with connecting with my God through my Bible, when I read others’ posts on here, because it helps open my eyes to see from their perspectives and that encourages my faith in Christ, seeing Christ at work in their lives. I am extremely prideful, self-centered, and selfish, so I am grateful God is disciplining me (not all of the time, I’d be lying if I would say it’s always peaches and roses) through this Bible study discussion, and thankful He still loves me even as I am still and forever will be a sinner on this earth, and grateful I am saint in Christ on this earth with Him, and then forever in Heaven with Him, in Christ, because of Him. Thank you to all who participate in this thread.
Like
Ben
Jul 30
“But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you— for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God,”
At times, I think I can white knuckle myself into living for God. However, looking at the facts, I can’t. With Timothy telling Paul of the Thessalonians’ faith, which encouraged Paul in his distress and affliction, I feel encouraged when I hear of someone else’ faith in Christ, when they endure hardship and still make it through. I will continue to try to keep my heart open to hear about how God is working in other people’s lives to help encourage me when I am in distress and/or affliction.
Like
Ben
Jul 26
Reading the Songs of Solomon, for me, was very awkward at times, however, I really appreciate the boundaries that both the Jewish girl and Solomon set in place to help try to protect their relationship. Not to stir up the love until it is an appropriate, was refreshing, along with them both trying to see each other as friends, a sister, a brother, and a person, appropriately. People, not just a romantic lover/object. It is a blessing to also see that God loves me as a person, not just a number.
Like
Ben
Jul 17
“They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”; they burned all the meeting places of God in the land. We do not see our signs; there is no longer any prophet, and there is none among us who knows how long. How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? Is the enemy to revile your name forever? Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the fold of your garment and destroy them! Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. You divided the sea by your might; you broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters. You crushed the heads of Leviathan; you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness. You split open springs and brooks; you dried up ever-flowing streams. Yours is the day, yours also the night; you have established the heavenly lights and the sun. You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you have made summer and winter.”
At times I feel my sin says to me in my heart and to my heart: I will crush (subdue) you completely! I (Ben), thinking that I am King of my life, ask myself how long will this last and why do You God not do anything about this?
I forget He has done something about this already, when I am choosing to fix my eyes on my emotions/sin/troubled heart. I appreciate this Psalm of Asaph is brutally honest with his emotions/thoughts towards God, doesn’t sugarcoat it, and actually shares it raw with Him. AND, by the Holy Spirit, it is a blessing to see God move Asaph to acknowledge God as King and to remember the actions God has already done in the past (yours is the day and the night, you split the seas open). By God I am trying to do that, one moment at a time, that I am not the King of my life, God is the King on my life, try to take the night right actions even if it hurts, try to trust that God is King, that He ultimately protects me from my sin, and He prepares my place for me in God’s house where I will be free from the oppression and bondage of my sin. One day and night at a time.
Like
Ben
Jul 10
“Reproaches have broken my heart, so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none. …But I am afflicted and in pain; let your salvation, O God, set me on high! … For the Lord hears the needy and does not despise his own people who are prisoners. Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves in them. For God will save Zion and build up the cities of Judah, and people shall dwell there and possess it; the offspring of his servants shall inherit it, and those who love his name shall dwell in it.”
Reproaches, disapproval, disappointment, and my fear of man, by God, when I don’t give it up to God, leaves me in despair. To try to combat my fear of man, I try to use my fear of man to try to comfort me from my parents, family, and friends, and at times, even then, I don’t find any comfort from them, respectfully. I think that maybe, just this next time, “Princes” will save me. Nope.
I appreciate David acknowledged his honest pain, that he is in current pain, yet, by God’s power, David reaches for God even while he is the pain that he is in. Him reminding himself of the Truth: that God hears the needy and accepts his people, even in their sin (in Christ we are made new). God helps David remember about the future new Heaven and new Earth, that God will wipe away every tear from our eyes, God will dwell with us, we will be His people, and He will be our God. Him approving us in Christ making us His people, Him approving us in Christ making Him our God, and Him approving us in Christ and living with us, I find that very hopeful, inspiring, and (by God’s power) worth, at times, all of the trials I get to endure now with Jesus. I am glad God helps me in my despair, and by God, help me try to walk with Him and try to let Him carry me, because I can’t see. That end promise gives me hope.
Like
Pastor Steve
Jul 11
Replying to
Just as real as pain and joy are, so is the grace that God gives us! We have a real God who meets us in our needs and then leads us through. Like a Good Shepherd walking us through the valley of the shadow of death, we have hope on the other side. Hope!
Like
Karlee
Jul 08
1 Corinthians 15:55-58
As someone who striggled heavily with anxiety in high school and still sometimes struggles, I feel like the closing of this chapter was a great explanation of how I “deal” with it. I think these verses are so strong yet non-believers can’t always understand the peace that comes with Christ. Even on my darkest days, death where is your sting…thanks be to God…fully commit to the Lord! It’s like putting my mindset into words and to be reminded that it came directly from His word!
Like
Ben
Jul 04
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.”
1 Corinthians 9:24-25 ESV
As a former CUW athlete, for me only, I did try to use self-control to try to run to receive the perishable wreath (adoration, human acceptance, social status, human love, etc.). It sometimes worked and it sometimes didn’t. But the prize wasn’t fulfilling, as it felt very empty to me. It was very discouraging to me which created thoughts in me such as: “this is all there is?” And,”what’s the point?” And, “this can’t be all there is to in life.”
As I am still learning this, thankful my God hasn’t given up on me, and understanding I will never fully understand this on this side of Heaven, Jesus has helped show me more of His unconditional love and more of Himself. Through His Word, The Lord’s Supper, and His Baptism of me, He continues to draw me back to Him. I know I haven’t arrived fully yet and I am trying to understand that His imperishable prize is more than I can think or imagine, I am trying, by the Holy Spirit, to continue to let go and let Him carry me because I can’t see. I claim that I can see sometimes, but that is a lie, and makes me blind to the Truth that He sees better than me. It is terrifying for me to let Him carry me while I can’t see, however, by His Spirit, He gives me the courage to rest on Him and His promises, and to continue to run this race of life to receive Him as the ultimate Imperishable prize, one day at a time, reading His Word, trying to stay in fellowship with other Christians, go to church, and try to do His will one day at a time.
Like
Pastor Steve
Jul 07
Replying to
I love this imagery, as we seem to love competition and sports (not so much after being crushed in soccer last night...still proud of team USA). Many go so far as to say this competition is bad, and you shouldn't strive for those things. I believe Paul is saying that people strive for those perishable wreaths...but HOW MUCH MORE should we strive for that imperishable one! The real danger is when we focus on the perishable over the imperishable...when we put ourselves over God. To which we remember His plans are better, His vision is better, His way is better! Amen!
Like
Ben
Jun 26
“But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.” And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.”
Mark 14:70-72 ESV
I can pray with and to my God Jesus and say I “know” Him when I am alone and not challenged by my sinful heart (by God’s grace at times), but like Peter, because of my sinful heart, when I am challenged by/with others, I can obey my sinful heart and listen to it and repeat the curses that it tells me, and I repeat those curses to myself, and then say I don’t know Jesus. I worship my sin over worshipping Jesus.
Then while I am insulting myself and Jesus, Jesus says: “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Jesus knows me and knows I am insulting Him, YET He still forgives me, and wants to know me. By God’s power, for me at times, that can start to melt my heart for Him more, try to confess my sin in me to Him, ask for His forgiveness, remember my baptism in Him, rejoice in my sins are destroyed and my relationship with Him is right again, because of His works, try to get to enjoy and know Him and my relationship with Him, and try to do His will.
Not perfectly, as this can happen every other second at times, for me. By God’s grace, I am grateful He doesn’t let go of me out of His hand as He continues to prune me, even though it hurts, and I get to try to follow Him today.
Like
Pastor Steve
Jun 25
In reading Job (you know it isn't my favorite book), I am struck by how much I can identify with Job. I haven't done anything wrong. I am a good person. I love Jesus. We can tend to think that we deserve so much more than what God is giving us.
Then I read chapter 11 and the words of Zophar! You deserve worse! "My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in God's eyes" (11:4). I realized he might be a Lutheran pastor. Calling everyone a sinner when they claim to be good! He could day, "there are no good people" and possibly quote Romans 3!
There is a tension that we hold daily. I deserve nothing but death because of my sin! Yet, we strive to be good people as we let our lights shine. Because of our Baptism, we are pure and holy new creations! This tension, we can see in the book of Job. We do deserve to have Satan unleashed upon us. Yet, God in His divine mercy and goodness protects us - limits Satan. Beyond that, we know the end of the story and the deliverance and victory He has won for us!
The only remedy for suffering and evil is Jesus! We need Him. I need Him! Praise the Lord who has delivered me from this body of death (Rom 7:25)!
Like
Karlee
Jul 01
Replying to
I promise I’m still reading! This plan has really helped me to have more discipline and it’s been fun “sharing” that time with the boys watching. What is striking me about Job is how we are known! God doesn’t hold our wrongs against us, fully knows us but loves us!
Like
Ben
Jun 20
“The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side.”
Mark 8:11-13 ESV
I personally seem to be a Pharisee at trying to test Jesus/God, by trying to demand a sign from Him: “show me why I should trust You in my distress/pain,” or I might try to arouse His anger to maybe “get” Him to bend to my will by saying, “I HATE You, God! You are evil, self-absorbed, and prideful for only wanting me to worship You alone. Who do you think You are?” Obviously, I am wrong in that, it doesn’t get me anywhere, and continues to carry me further and further away from Him, until I am only deeper into my prideful misery.
However, I am grateful that He still pursues me, sent me the sign of Jonah, His Son Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the prophets, and so many daily signs that continue to try to “woo” me back to Him, not because I have done anything good, but because He is good, and gives me a new heart of flesh to really want Him alone. Him bearing the anguish of my sin, the experience of the Father forsaking Jesus and that Father/Son relationship breaking for a moment, still being compassionate to me saying: “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing,” giving me Jesus’ righteousness, continuing to bear my future sins, and simply holding me in His arms even in my mess, by His Spirit, breaks my heart more, to just try to be content with Him, trust Him in my distress, and to submit to His plans and will. He is the hero, not me, and it is a blessing that He gives my soul ultimate rest. Asking my God to continue to guide me and to give me Him to be content where I am.
Edited
Like
Pastor Steve
Jun 22
Replying to
Ben, I couldn't help but smile. I often identify with the people that we are not supposed to be. I see the worst in my own struggles and such - must be the mirror of the law working well. When the disciples are getting it wrong, I feel like I am them. When the Pharisee's are at work, I find my hands along with theirs. But thanks be to God, Jesus saves us all! Well said, He seeks us! He "woos" us! He loves us! Amen!
Grateful to have this space to connect with God and my fellow brothers and sisters in-Christ, through this “Bible in a year,” discussion page. I sometimes don’t feel as alone, confused, and sometimes lost with connecting with my God through my Bible, when I read others’ posts on here, because it helps open my eyes to see from their perspectives and that encourages my faith in Christ, seeing Christ at work in their lives. I am extremely prideful, self-centered, and selfish, so I am grateful God is disciplining me (not all of the time, I’d be lying if I would say it’s always peaches and roses) through this Bible study discussion, and thankful He still loves me even as I am still and forever will be a sinner on this earth, and grateful I am saint in Christ on this earth with Him, and then forever in Heaven with Him, in Christ, because of Him. Thank you to all who participate in this thread.
“But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you— for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God,”
1 Thessalonians 3:6-9 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/1th.3.6-9.ESV
At times, I think I can white knuckle myself into living for God. However, looking at the facts, I can’t. With Timothy telling Paul of the Thessalonians’ faith, which encouraged Paul in his distress and affliction, I feel encouraged when I hear of someone else’ faith in Christ, when they endure hardship and still make it through. I will continue to try to keep my heart open to hear about how God is working in other people’s lives to help encourage me when I am in distress and/or affliction.
Reading the Songs of Solomon, for me, was very awkward at times, however, I really appreciate the boundaries that both the Jewish girl and Solomon set in place to help try to protect their relationship. Not to stir up the love until it is an appropriate, was refreshing, along with them both trying to see each other as friends, a sister, a brother, and a person, appropriately. People, not just a romantic lover/object. It is a blessing to also see that God loves me as a person, not just a number.
“They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”; they burned all the meeting places of God in the land. We do not see our signs; there is no longer any prophet, and there is none among us who knows how long. How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? Is the enemy to revile your name forever? Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the fold of your garment and destroy them! Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. You divided the sea by your might; you broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters. You crushed the heads of Leviathan; you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness. You split open springs and brooks; you dried up ever-flowing streams. Yours is the day, yours also the night; you have established the heavenly lights and the sun. You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you have made summer and winter.”
Psalm 74:8-17 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.74.8-17.ESV
At times I feel my sin says to me in my heart and to my heart: I will crush (subdue) you completely! I (Ben), thinking that I am King of my life, ask myself how long will this last and why do You God not do anything about this?
I forget He has done something about this already, when I am choosing to fix my eyes on my emotions/sin/troubled heart. I appreciate this Psalm of Asaph is brutally honest with his emotions/thoughts towards God, doesn’t sugarcoat it, and actually shares it raw with Him. AND, by the Holy Spirit, it is a blessing to see God move Asaph to acknowledge God as King and to remember the actions God has already done in the past (yours is the day and the night, you split the seas open). By God I am trying to do that, one moment at a time, that I am not the King of my life, God is the King on my life, try to take the night right actions even if it hurts, try to trust that God is King, that He ultimately protects me from my sin, and He prepares my place for me in God’s house where I will be free from the oppression and bondage of my sin. One day and night at a time.
“Reproaches have broken my heart, so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none. …But I am afflicted and in pain; let your salvation, O God, set me on high! … For the Lord hears the needy and does not despise his own people who are prisoners. Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves in them. For God will save Zion and build up the cities of Judah, and people shall dwell there and possess it; the offspring of his servants shall inherit it, and those who love his name shall dwell in it.”
Psalm 69:20, 29, 33-36 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.69.20.ESV
Reproaches, disapproval, disappointment, and my fear of man, by God, when I don’t give it up to God, leaves me in despair. To try to combat my fear of man, I try to use my fear of man to try to comfort me from my parents, family, and friends, and at times, even then, I don’t find any comfort from them, respectfully. I think that maybe, just this next time, “Princes” will save me. Nope.
I appreciate David acknowledged his honest pain, that he is in current pain, yet, by God’s power, David reaches for God even while he is the pain that he is in. Him reminding himself of the Truth: that God hears the needy and accepts his people, even in their sin (in Christ we are made new). God helps David remember about the future new Heaven and new Earth, that God will wipe away every tear from our eyes, God will dwell with us, we will be His people, and He will be our God. Him approving us in Christ making us His people, Him approving us in Christ making Him our God, and Him approving us in Christ and living with us, I find that very hopeful, inspiring, and (by God’s power) worth, at times, all of the trials I get to endure now with Jesus. I am glad God helps me in my despair, and by God, help me try to walk with Him and try to let Him carry me, because I can’t see. That end promise gives me hope.
1 Corinthians 15:55-58
As someone who striggled heavily with anxiety in high school and still sometimes struggles, I feel like the closing of this chapter was a great explanation of how I “deal” with it. I think these verses are so strong yet non-believers can’t always understand the peace that comes with Christ. Even on my darkest days, death where is your sting…thanks be to God…fully commit to the Lord! It’s like putting my mindset into words and to be reminded that it came directly from His word!
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.”
1 Corinthians 9:24-25 ESV
As a former CUW athlete, for me only, I did try to use self-control to try to run to receive the perishable wreath (adoration, human acceptance, social status, human love, etc.). It sometimes worked and it sometimes didn’t. But the prize wasn’t fulfilling, as it felt very empty to me. It was very discouraging to me which created thoughts in me such as: “this is all there is?” And,”what’s the point?” And, “this can’t be all there is to in life.”
As I am still learning this, thankful my God hasn’t given up on me, and understanding I will never fully understand this on this side of Heaven, Jesus has helped show me more of His unconditional love and more of Himself. Through His Word, The Lord’s Supper, and His Baptism of me, He continues to draw me back to Him. I know I haven’t arrived fully yet and I am trying to understand that His imperishable prize is more than I can think or imagine, I am trying, by the Holy Spirit, to continue to let go and let Him carry me because I can’t see. I claim that I can see sometimes, but that is a lie, and makes me blind to the Truth that He sees better than me. It is terrifying for me to let Him carry me while I can’t see, however, by His Spirit, He gives me the courage to rest on Him and His promises, and to continue to run this race of life to receive Him as the ultimate Imperishable prize, one day at a time, reading His Word, trying to stay in fellowship with other Christians, go to church, and try to do His will one day at a time.
“But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.” And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.”
Mark 14:70-72 ESV
I can pray with and to my God Jesus and say I “know” Him when I am alone and not challenged by my sinful heart (by God’s grace at times), but like Peter, because of my sinful heart, when I am challenged by/with others, I can obey my sinful heart and listen to it and repeat the curses that it tells me, and I repeat those curses to myself, and then say I don’t know Jesus. I worship my sin over worshipping Jesus.
Then while I am insulting myself and Jesus, Jesus says: “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Jesus knows me and knows I am insulting Him, YET He still forgives me, and wants to know me. By God’s power, for me at times, that can start to melt my heart for Him more, try to confess my sin in me to Him, ask for His forgiveness, remember my baptism in Him, rejoice in my sins are destroyed and my relationship with Him is right again, because of His works, try to get to enjoy and know Him and my relationship with Him, and try to do His will.
Not perfectly, as this can happen every other second at times, for me. By God’s grace, I am grateful He doesn’t let go of me out of His hand as He continues to prune me, even though it hurts, and I get to try to follow Him today.
In reading Job (you know it isn't my favorite book), I am struck by how much I can identify with Job. I haven't done anything wrong. I am a good person. I love Jesus. We can tend to think that we deserve so much more than what God is giving us.
Then I read chapter 11 and the words of Zophar! You deserve worse! "My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in God's eyes" (11:4). I realized he might be a Lutheran pastor. Calling everyone a sinner when they claim to be good! He could day, "there are no good people" and possibly quote Romans 3!
There is a tension that we hold daily. I deserve nothing but death because of my sin! Yet, we strive to be good people as we let our lights shine. Because of our Baptism, we are pure and holy new creations! This tension, we can see in the book of Job. We do deserve to have Satan unleashed upon us. Yet, God in His divine mercy and goodness protects us - limits Satan. Beyond that, we know the end of the story and the deliverance and victory He has won for us!
The only remedy for suffering and evil is Jesus! We need Him. I need Him! Praise the Lord who has delivered me from this body of death (Rom 7:25)!
“The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side.”
Mark 8:11-13 ESV
I personally seem to be a Pharisee at trying to test Jesus/God, by trying to demand a sign from Him: “show me why I should trust You in my distress/pain,” or I might try to arouse His anger to maybe “get” Him to bend to my will by saying, “I HATE You, God! You are evil, self-absorbed, and prideful for only wanting me to worship You alone. Who do you think You are?” Obviously, I am wrong in that, it doesn’t get me anywhere, and continues to carry me further and further away from Him, until I am only deeper into my prideful misery.
However, I am grateful that He still pursues me, sent me the sign of Jonah, His Son Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the prophets, and so many daily signs that continue to try to “woo” me back to Him, not because I have done anything good, but because He is good, and gives me a new heart of flesh to really want Him alone. Him bearing the anguish of my sin, the experience of the Father forsaking Jesus and that Father/Son relationship breaking for a moment, still being compassionate to me saying: “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing,” giving me Jesus’ righteousness, continuing to bear my future sins, and simply holding me in His arms even in my mess, by His Spirit, breaks my heart more, to just try to be content with Him, trust Him in my distress, and to submit to His plans and will. He is the hero, not me, and it is a blessing that He gives my soul ultimate rest. Asking my God to continue to guide me and to give me Him to be content where I am.